First, Mr. Gray is correct. Most Utah election winners are determined either in caucus or in a partisan primary election because redistricting has made most political districts highly partisan.

The competition for the elective office is NOT in the November election. It is in the caucus, the political conventions, and the June primary, if there is not a winner in convention. There often is a winner in convention, and the general public does not get to express their preferences in an election open to the public.

Second, as a member of the Utah House of Representatives for 16 years, I found my neighbors in Legislative District 19 to be extremely well-informed. Some days I would receive dozens of emails from constituents, and the sentiments expressed were very helpful. Public meetings proved to me time and time again that Davis County has well-informed voters. Yes, delegates also are informed, but opponents of Count My Vote fail to acknowledge that the general public can be just as knowledgeable as delegates.

Third, because most election districts in Utah are not competitive between parties but lean strongly to a Republican or Democrat preference (Republican in this county), candidates for elective office know where they have to spend their money. They will spend it where they can get a win.

If that’s in convention, that’s where a huge chunk of their campaign funds will go. The cry that Count My Vote will change elections so that only the rich can run is false.

Look where Sen. Orrin Hatch spent his money in 2012. It was in preparing for the convention and the primary election. City council candidates who do not have conventions and often have very large districts (the entire city) conduct great campaigns at a reasonable cost.

It’s time for each and every voter to have a meaningful vote. Political party delegates should not be making our choices for us.

They claim more people will be able to vote under Count My Vote. A large percentage of voters will not affiliate to vote in the GOP primary election and those same people will not be able to vote in a "GOP" direct primary under Count My Vote. (lines 305 to 308). They will get to pay more as Count My Vote makes sure the parties will not be picking up the tab they currently do, it will be the taxpayers, unaffiliated or not.

Former Rep. Allen, You should know, if you read Count My Vote, that it is seriously flawed as a proposed law. It contradicts itself and it creates a uneven playing field between parties.

We tell public officials to kill these kind of errors in committee, not skip the public hearing, not read the bill and vote to send it to the floor of the legislature to decide if it should pass or not.

That is exactly what Count My Vote is telling people to do. Sign it, unread, and hope everyone realizes next fall it doesn't deliver. They could have amended it but chose not to and by law, can no longer amend the "bill".

Don't sign, just to vote on it later. Do read it. Do find out more. I trust if you actually understand what you will get, you will not sign the Count My Vote / Buy My vote initiative.

This proposed law will cost taxpayers millions, $1 Million the first year and almost that every 2 years, with about 1/2 of the unfunded mandate being picked up by the less populous counties, the ones that the same proposed law will cause to be flyover places where the candidates and elected officials won't come anymore.

When Utah tried a direct primary in 1937 to 1947, it came with a run off primary, so the majority would elect the nominee. When the voting turn out and the cost drove the public and the media to reject that system - a compromise, caucus/convention and run off primary was created. We have that today. Count My Vote not only removes the nominating for general elections using delegates, it removes the run off primary system we have and nominees will no longer be selected out of a 2 person race.

The political royalty sponsors of Count My Vote loved the current system when the turnout to the neighborhood caucus elections meetings (GOP) was about 25,000, but when it exceeded 50,000 and 100,000, they no longer want that system because they no longer have the power.

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